VMPL
New Delhi [India], May 27: Development goes beyond jo creation - it's about harnessing India's entrepreneurial spirit. From rural artisans to urban tech innovators, startups have been an integral part of the India's identity. MSME's are the backbone and primed to lead the nations growth. With strong policy support, accessible finance and digital empowerment the nation can grow sustainably.
The "Crafting Bharat - Season 2" powered by AWS Startups, an initiative by NewsReach, in association with VCCircle, and production partner - HT Smartcast, explores how startups are harnessing the power of the cloud to accelerate growth, optimise operations, and building solutions that will define the India of Tomorrow. This series is hosted by Gautam Srinivasan, famed for hosting a diverse range of TV and digital programs, currently consulting editor at CNBC (India), CNN-News18, Forbes India, and The Economic Times.
In this episode, we spotlight Naveen Dachuri, Co-Founder and CTO of Yulu, who are using their micro-mobility solutions driving India to a sustainable future. He shares insights about how their micro-mobility solution is solving the last mile connectivity issues for commuters, receptiveness towards using shared mobility and how AWS is helping them build sustainable future.
In this series, explore inspiring startup stories that are shifting gears and sparking innovation across sectors, all contributing to India's transformation into a developed nation by 2047 in this captivating series.
Video Links - https://youtu.be/yMkJwV2YqjQ
Edited Excerpts:
Segment 1: Ignite
India has a last mile connectivity issue. Yulu was looking to solve that. What was the thought behind starting Yulu?
We began our journey in 2017 with bicycles, aiming to offer an affordable, clean, and green mobility solution. The goal was to build India's first micro-mobility ecosystem, which didn't exist back then. Starting with bicycles helped us understand key aspects--like setting up parking zones, collaborating with government agencies, and educating users on access of micro-mobility solutions. This learning curve was essential. Once we gained confidence in the operational model and ecosystem, we introduced electric vehicles in 2019 to scale and enhance our offering.
You were building Yulu Bikes from scratch. What was the biggest challenge you had to face?
Our biggest challenge was securing parking spots, as paying for them would have made our model unsustainable. We partnered with government agencies like MMRDA in Mumbai and DULT in Bengaluru, who provided ample parking close to public commute/ transit hotspots like metros & bus stops. Their initiatives, especially near metro stations, aligned perfectly with our Yulu zone concept, easing commuters' parking needs.
Segment 2: Launch
Yulu avoided cash burn through cost-conscious innovation and key to this has been your homegrown mobility tech stack which enables intelligent network growth and expansion.
Over time, we optimized our tech stack costs by avoiding replication of environments. Since our unit economics are driven by vehicles rather than customers, maintaining sustainable tech expenses is critical. Our approach of frugal experimentation allowed us to manage cost surges and establish a pricing model that ensures a viable, sustainable business.
Is pre-investing in team size, especially engineering, a good idea considering we are in a very PAT+ focused environment?
The key is to design your system for future scalability. Being overly frugal early on may save costs initially but can lead to critical failures when you scale rapidly. It's better to invest upfront--even if it means a few dissatisfied customers initially--so that any issues are resolved early, ensuring a stable, robust system that delights customers as you grow and scale.
Sub-segment: Boost
Yulu has been with AWS since the start. Take us through the highlights of this association and how it's helped you build and scale up to a significant lead in the shared mobility space?
We chose AWS for two main reasons. First, our mobility service collects sensitive location data for vehicles and users, so using AWS's India-hosted cloud ensures compliance with data residency requirements. Second, as a startup, we needed a fast, cost-effective solution. AWS offers a suite of integrated services that enables us to process nearly 200 data points per vehicle every few seconds, while their proactive support and educational programs help us optimize our infrastructure. Their customer-first approach perfectly aligns with our focus on ensuring customer satisfaction.
Segment 3: Orbit
Around three quarters ago, Yulu also launched a franchise business model in various markets. What are Yulu's expectations with the model?
Our goal is to bring Yulu to every corner of India. Our research identified over 400 cities with shared mobility needs, but given each city's unique behavior, expanding directly isn't practical. Instead, we chose the franchisee model for presence beyond the top 10-15 cities where Yulu will be directly present. We launched the YBP model to expand Yulu's reach and build a viable partner-led business, and the response has been outstanding--some cities have grown from 50-100 vehicles to nearly 500. This approach gives an opportunity to the local entrepreneurs to build their businesses in their own cities, reversing the migration trend along with making their city cleaner and greener. Yulu & YBPs run a fleet of over 45000 EVs today, and we aim to double that to 100,000 by the next financial year.
India has evolved beyond an emerging power to become a defining force of the 21st century. Its expanding economy wields global influence, positioning India as a beacon of inclusive policies and cutting-edge digital infrastructure. The nation's entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders are crafting a future where every talent is nurtured, and no citizen is left behind.
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